St. Vincent to Benefit From Multi-Million-Dollar Climate Action Initiative

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – The Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)  has launched a three million US dollar project to fast-track climate action in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The project, which is being undertaken in collaboration with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) government is funded by the Korea-based Green Climate Fund (GCF) and will span a three-year period, from 2024 – 2027.

Speaking at the launch, CCCCC project manager, Earl Green, spoke of the importance of the project towards strengthening the country’s capacity to implement actions that improve climate adaptation.

He said that despite the myriad of ongoing activities and the constant pressures from recurring climate events, the success of the project hinges critically on active national participation.

“It is expected that this will allow SVG to implement its Long-Term Readiness Action Plan to enhance its national capacity to effectively respond and address the impacts of climate change in a strategic, consultative, participatory, and comprehensive manner with national stakeholders to ensure country buy-in and country ownership”, he added.

Senior economist in the Ministry of Economic Development, Giselle Myers, told the ceremony that the country has been receiving financial support from the GCF through the CCCCC since 2017.

She said the new project increases the total economic value of GCF climate related contributions to eight million US dollars.

“”Support to St. Vincent and the Grenadines by the Green Climate Fund continues towards its path of increasing climate resiliency. The full commitment of the NDA (National Designated Authority) and key stakeholders play crucial roles in the execution of the activities and also to strengthen policies for effective delivery of the programme and or projects,” she said.

Reflecting on the numerous natural disasters that have battered St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the past decade, Meyers lamented the relentless and pervasive nature of climate impacts, which affect every sector.

She said these events “depict clearly the urgency for St Vincent and the Grenadines to mobilise climate financing that will support projects to position the country to strengthen adaptation and mitigation efforts and decrease potential devastation”

The CCCCC along with the Economic Planning Division of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, and Information Technology will execute the project on behalf of the country.